Volunteer Teaching English in Italy & Austria Summer 2025

Being part of this program for the past two years has been an incredible, transformative experience that I’ll treasure forever. My journey began in Austria during my first year, and I returned for a second year in Italy. Both years, I was a director, it challenged me in ways that pushed me to grow as a teacher and as a person.

One of the most rewarding challenges was navigating language barriers. I didn’t speak the local language, and yet I found creative ways to connect with my host families, campers, and colleagues. Whether it was through gestures, visual aids, or lots of patience and laughter, I discovered how to communicate effectively and teach in a way that transcended words. These moments of collaboration and understanding taught me that kindness and enthusiasm are universal languages.

What I learned during these summers has directly influenced my teaching back in America. I’ve gained a deeper appreciation for cultural differences, the importance of adaptability, and the value of building genuine connections with students. These lessons have shaped me into a better, more empathetic teacher in my 4th grade classroom (in America).

The camps themselves were long days but overall incredible. I had the privilege of leading engaging, fun-filled activities that made learning English exciting for the campers. Watching the kids confidence grow over time was one of the most fulfilling parts of my experience.

Ashleigh, Alessio, and Nate, the owners of the company, are remarkable people. Their support, kindness, and dedication to this program made everything possible. Even though they weren’t physically present at the camps, I always felt they had my back. They went above and beyond to ensure that we had the good experience.

The first year I was placed in a host family situation that didn’t work out. However, the staff handled it with incredible care and efficiency, quickly placing me with a better host family where I felt safe and welcomed. My second year with host families was even more amazing. I had incredible host families with whom I still keep in touch—they truly became like family to me and can’t wait to see them again.

This program has been life-changing. It’s more than just teaching English—it’s about building relationships, immersing yourself in new cultures, and growing in ways you never imagined. I cannot recommend it enough to anyone looking for a meaningful adventure!

I had an amazing time in Austria this summer as a Camp Director. From the training in Italy, where we learnt camp games and songs and really bonded as an orientation group, to staying with lovely host families and visiting beautiful lakes, mountains and towns; I had brilliant time. ECC allowed me to spend 5 weeks with great people in some amazing places! I particularly enjoyed cycling and swimming so much in Austria, even the long train journeys through the mountains was a joy. I would recommend to anyone looking to spend the summer somewhere new!

I taught abroad in Austria for a month at a summer camp and I had a great time! I got to know my students very well and we collaborated and made an amazing Final Show together. I also got along really well with my host family and I felt like I was a part of their family. They were really welcoming and accommodating and showed me around a lot. It was such an amazing experience and I would definitely recommend you take part in it. I feel like the children also learned a lot of English and picked up quite quickly on what I taught them.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with ECC this summer as a Camp Director. Although the experience is unpaid, I gained so many skills and memories I will cherish for years to come. The host families I stayed with were amazing, with good accommodations and food (I will say this is a very crucial part to the experience).

As Camp Director, I also received plenty of support when needed, and therefore was able to support my tutors and make sure they had a great time too. I highly recommend the ECC if you enjoy working with kids and are willing to get out of your comfort zone and work hard!

I worked as a Tutor for the ECC in July 2023, and it was honestly one of the best experiences of my life.
The program started with a week-long orientation in Assisi, Italy, where you get to meet all the other tutors from around the world. During the orientation, you're trained to lesson plan and carry out camp activities, so the ECC staff makes sure you're ready for the actual camps! My 2 camps were in towns in Emilia-Romagna, Italy and Carinthia, Austria, and both times I lived with a local host family. This was my favorite part of the entire experience, as you get to become a part of these families and truly get immersed into the local culture and their everyday lives. The families brought me to places like waterparks, the beach, hiking, and the ECC also hosted cultural activities in each camp such as canoeing and wine tastings!
During the actual camps, you typically work with a class of about 8-10 kids, who are all really eager to learn English. You have lots of support from the ECC staff, your camp director, and other tutors during the entire process, so there's no pressure at all. The ECC not only wants to teach English, but they want to make English fun, so you'll enjoy your lessons as much as the kids.
Working with the ECC allowed me to meet amazing people, explore Italy and Austria, and reminded me how much I love teaching. I am currently completing my TEFL Certification to be able to teach English abroad, and plan on visiting both my host families again!

I would say joining the ECC for the summer was one of the most incredible experiences I have had. For my first time abroad I was able to experience so much culture, meet so many cool people from around the world, and saving money while doing so. Staying with the host families was my favorite part because I was able to build lasting friendships and connections with people who I still talk to now. Going through the ECC was such an awesome way to travel and learn about Italy as well as learn to teach!

It was an amazing summer, no doubt. One of the best. Host families were all amazing, as were students and fellow tutors. Great way to see Italy as well as meet new people. But the owners of the program would openly gossip about other tutors. I heard them openly saying rude things about other tutors and my friends told me they openly said disparaging things about me. Hurtful and unfortunate because otherwise a great summer. I would recommend regardless.

This past summer I had the most amazing opportunity to be a part of The English Camp Company. Traveling across the world to meet strangers and teach kids English could not have been a better experience because as soon as you meet them, they become family! In addition to having so many new connections with people, the host families do everything they can to make sure you experience their culture - even if you don't understand the language (I still talk to all of my host families!).
I worked at three ECC Camps as a Tutor for the Red Book group (the youngest, ages 6-7), and although you might not be able to understand them, they see your energy and that excites them to want to understand you. The ECC training was excellent at the beginning of the summer, and provided you a good foundation to help make you and the camps successful. I had amazing experiences getting to know the kids, we made every activity into an adventure.

This was definitely a once in a lifetime experience, and I am so fortunate that I was able to be a part of this program and the children's path to learn English!

(I am actually planning on going back to my host families in Italy this summer! I can't wait to see them again!)